Realizations
by T'Luminareth
Summary: Just what did Ambrose mean to DG?
1. What I See

**A/N Disclaimer: I do not own Tin Man and its affiliated characters which are the property of RHI Entertainment. This is for my own enjoyment and I thought I would share it with you. I would love to know what you think so reviews are welcome. This one took almost a three days to write and went through a lengthy revision process. There is a continuation of this story in the works.**

* * *

They had spent enough time in Finaqua and they now had to move onto the Land of the Un-wanted in order to find Ahamo, DG's father.

The thought was still strange, she had lived so long from this place, had accepted parents that she now knew weren't biologically related to her. Weren't even the same species if robots could be called a species.

As they left the beautiful palace DG had been able to re-discover she looked at the back of the man in front of her.

She took in the tattered coat that he was never without, not even when it was sopping wet from jumping to escape the papay. She took in the hair that at one point was tame, she had seen it in the painting in the North and if anyone were to ask her she would have told them she preferred the unruly curls to the tame ones.

He must have felt her staring at him because he suddenly looked behind him. Blue eyes locked with brown eyes. The blue ones sparkled as the smile that lit up her whole face reached her eyes. The brown ones smiled back, that boyish smile that she loved gracing his face.

Gods he was beautiful. She stared in wonder at the eyes she loved so much, the dimples that really only showed when he smiled, the eyelashes long, full and dark that brushed his cheeks every time he blinked.

She felt herself blush and she was the one to look away first, choosing to look where she was going. Then she remembered everything that had been revealed in Finaqua. Everything that was happening to them was all her fault. There were a million ifs running through her head all at once.

If I hadn't let go, if I hadn't convinced her to go in the first place, if I hadn't been curious about the noise, if I hadn't heard it in the first place, if I had never been born, if I had died, if I had done things right none of this would have happened or be happening.

She looked over to the group of men in front of her and felt the guilt rise up in her.

Tutor. He would not have been imprisoned for fifteen annuals, had to endure Gods knew what.

Raw. He would not have had been imprisoned either because of his kind's gift, he would not have had to escape and leave the others behind.

Cain. He would still be with his family living out his life peacefully as a family man and a tin man in Central City.

Glitch. He would still be the Queen's advisor, an advisor that had his brain securely in his head. He would be able to remember who he was and all the other little things people took for granted. He would have been able to use his machine for the purpose it was intended for. He would have been able to have a full life.

Glitch had seen DG's smile, saw her drop her head as the smile was replaced with a frown. His smile was replaced with a look of confusion as the brain he still had left tried to figure out what that color on DG's cheeks meant and why she now frowned.

Above all he tried to figure out what the feeling he was experiencing was called. He knew he felt concern at her quick turn in emotion, knew he wanted to put the smile back on her face. But there was more to it. He felt…consumed. There was no other word. Ever since he had met her, which he had the very strong feeling was long before the cage in the Land of the Munchkins, he had felt somehow whole. He could think more clearly when she was near. He often found himself making excuses to be closer to her, to touch her in some small way even if it was just a meeting of their clothes.

He often found himself feeling something else every time she hugged or touched someone other than him. He had no name for that feeling either but he knew it was wrong to feel that way. That feeling made him want to punch something.

All of a sudden something gently touched his arm and he jumped as if electrocuted.

"You scared me…" he said to DG.

"Sorry…it looked like you were angry at something…"

"Was I…"

"I don't know were you?"

He scrunched his features as he tried to grasp onto what he had just been thinking about. The tendril of thought kept alluding him and he forgot what he was chasing in the first place. He soon left the trail alone and could no longer remember where he was.

He looked around and saw only trees as far as the eye could see. He felt something on his arm, not a threatening presence just one that was radiating reassurance. He followed the arm and looked at the person that owned it, trying desperately to place her. She looked so familiar but just to be sure he heard himself say in a bubbly voice, "The name's Glitch…have we met before?"

DG's face fell. She hated it when this happened and she could feel tears forming, threatening to swell and roll down her cheek.

Rather than say who she was she dropped her arm to her side and walked away. She knew it would eventually come to him and then he would come to her, he always did.

Glitch watched her move away from him and he wondered if he had done the greeting wrong. As he searched his scattered memories to make sure, a name sprang to the front of his mind along with a face, her face.

"DG," he whispered.

How could he have forgotten her? No wonder she walked away. Why would she want to put up with someone who kept forgetting who she was?

He saw her sitting with the others and she looked up to see him looking at her. She smiled but he dropped his head before he saw it on her face.

She felt a pang of guilt. She knew he was ashamed that he often forgot things that others so easily remembered. She sighed at her blunder and went to him. As she walked over he had thrown his back up against a tree and was slowly sliding down, all the while looking at the ground, once again deep in thought.

She reached where he was now sitting and knelt down trying to make him look at her. She saw his head twitch slightly, giving away that he had wanted to look up. She smiled sympathetically at him.

"Glitch?"

He sighed and replied, "What?" It came out harsher than he had intended.

She was taken aback by the anger and bitterness in his voice.

She put her hand on his knee and his hand quickly covered hers.

"I know it's hard for you to remember all the time but me walking away was not rejecting you."

The way she said it sparked something in Glitch's mind, the wording of it. He finally looked up at her, looking for something. DG let everything show on her face, all the feelings she felt for him out there for him to see.

He saw it. He saw the love written plainly on her face and his first thought was_ That love can't possibly be for me_.

He once again lowered his head and took his hand off hers. He now felt uncomfortable at how close she was, closer then they had ever been before in his fleeting recollection. His hands found each other and began fidgeting.

She sighed at him. She had taken his actions to mean he did not reciprocate her feelings, or that he too blamed her for what had happened, but she didn't back down. She had to know for sure what he might be hiding from her.

Her hands gently cupped his face, lifting his eye line to meet her face once more.

"Look at me. What do you see?"

She saw his eyes roving over her face, drinking her in like it was the first and the last time he would see her face before him.

"I see DG. A strong, radiant woman who saved me not only from the Ankle Biters but also from myself. I see the woman that every time she is near, I can think a little straighter…" he petered off. She knew it was there and it had to come out before he lost it.

"Go on," she encouraged.

"I see…I see the woman who believed in me when no one else did. Was willing and is willing to put up with me. A woman who could have left the bumbling fool behind. I see a woman who is risking every thing to save the world she only recently learned was hers. I see the woman I love, the woman I want to spend forever with…what's wrong?"

The concern dripped from his voice as he saw she was crying. He must have said too much.

"I'm sorry!" he gushed. Then he began glitching, repeating "I'm sorry" over and over until DG's mouth was suddenly on his. He didn't pull away from her like his brain told him he should. He gave in to his body. He found himself kissing her back even though he didn't remember anyone ever kissing him like this before.

She pulled back, tears still running down her cheeks but she was smiling. He looked confused at her reaction.

"I'm happy," she said to clear him up and his look of relief almost made her laugh. "Glitch you need to know that I love you too."

He beamed at her but as the thought of why went across his mind his face fell.

He must have said it out loud because she answered, "I see a man who is willing to protect me no matter what. A man who is clever even though he thinks he isn't. A man who has suffered greatly and is still able to laugh and joke. A man who is a wonderful friend and never sees the bad in them. A man who is just as in love as I am. But most of all I see the man that I can't picture tomorrow without."

She sat next to him and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close to him as possible. She hugged him to her and she felt him put his head on top of hers.

_We fit so well together_ she thought.

She heard him sigh as she felt the tension role off of him in waves. He had been afraid she would reject him just like she had thought he would do to her. The idea seemed absurd but then she remembered she was a princess and he was the Queen's advisor who had lost half his mind from denying Azkadellia the plans for the machine she wanted.

He had given everything he was to protect her mother, and her even though she felt like she didn't deserve it.

That made her think, _If he was my mother's advisor why don't I remember him?_

She closed her eyes looking in her mind, reaching for the light as Tutor was so willing to tell her, with the intent of breaking whatever barrier there was blocking her memories.

She soon came up against it, a massive wall of pure energy that pulsed with her mother's magic. She looked for any kind of weakness but found none. She started to get frustrated and mentally screamed at the barrier.

She wanted to remember if Glitch had meant anything to her when she was a child and he went by his birth name, Ambrose. When she thought the name, the barrier shrunk but looked different somehow. It was not as bright, like her mother had not fully protected these memories, as if it was okay for her daughter to see them when she was able to figure out how to go around the barrier.

She looked for a weakness in it and she found it. A small hole in the wall of the barrier. She slowly stretched out with her magic and began pushing on the hole. She would either pass through the hole or break the barrier. She heard a crack, or what she imagined to be a crack and the barrier shattered in a tinkling of glass and the memories behind it came rushing at her.

* * *

_It was a sunny day. The light shown through the huge stained glass windows that ran down the entire length of hall._

_There was a crash from the one end, the sound of a child's laughter and then the pitter-patter of tiny feet as they ran. The giggling only increasing as the child heard Tutor cry, "DG! Come back here this instant!"_

_She turned her head quickly stuck out her tongue and continued running. Tutor was never able to find her when she hid in her special spot. Plus he would never risk that the Queen might, on the off chance she used it, be in the room._

_DG always hid in the receiving room when she wanted to ditch Tutor and his boring lessons. In a few hours he would give up on her all together and then she could go out into the beautiful day and do what she wanted to._

_When she reached the room she slowly opened the door making sure there was no one in it. When she saw that it was abandoned she slipped in closing the door behind her. As she sat in the chair her mother used to greet people she heard the door beginning to open. _

_Her heart sped up at the thought of being caught and she quickly hid in the closet that she knew became a secret passage if any of the royals needed to flee in secret._

_Her mother walked in followed by one of her attendants. They were talking and DG only heard snippets of conversation._

"_He is on his way now…"_

"_Indeed majesty…I should warn you…"_

"_Is he? Interesting…show him in when he gets here…"_

_The attendant bowed her head and took her leave to await the arrival of whomever they were talking about. She was curious about this person who was coming to see her mother and tried to be as quiet as possible so she would not be discovered._

_Within moments a knock sounded on the door and the Queen called out, "Enter."_

_The attendant from before opened the door to allow the young man in, introducing him as Ambrose, she never heard his last name. She was too intrigued with him, he was so young, no more than seventeen annuals. She wondered what her mother wanted with him, hopefully it wasn't anything bad._

"_Ambrose," the Queen addressed him and dismissed the attendant with a nod of her head._

_The man named Ambrose bowed and responded, "Your Highness. I am honored with your offer but surely there are other more experienced and ambitious men to take the position."_

_She smiled at him, not in any way threatening or condescending and replied, "I am well aware of the more senior men for the position I offer and yet I only want you to do it."_

_He blushed at the compliment hidden in what she said and bowed his head in thanks._

"_Do you think you can handle it?"_

"_Of course majesty. I will do my best for you."_

"_Good, then it is settled advisor. You start tomorrow. I will have someone show you the palace of Finaqua and your rooms and we will go over your roles tomorrow. Would you like to see the palace now?"_

"_If it pleases your majesty…"_

_She smirked and looked to the door that was open slightly and hid DG. "DG, perhaps you would grace us with your presence. I need you to do something."_

_DG felt herself blush at being found out, she should have known that her mother would be able to feel her magic. She slowly opened the door and bashfully smiled at the man who now had his mouth open either in shock or disbelief, she couldn't tell which._

"_Yes momma," she softly said wondering if she was going to be punished._

"_Would you mind showing Ambrose around our home. Be nice to him, it's his first day."_

_DG's face lit up at the prospect of making a friend and ran over to the man, grasping his hand up with her tiny one. She beamed up at him and the smile was contagious as he beamed down at her in return._

"_I know all about this place," she whispered in a conspiratial tone and motioned him to lean down so she could whisper in his ear, "Even the places no one else does."_

_He laughed with her and the Queen smiled to herself, thinking down the road about her daughter and her new advisor._

_The two took their leave of the Queen, still holding hands she led him outside. The sun was warm on their faces and they went over to the gazebo that held the swing that the Queen often rocked her daughters on when they were upset._

_She walked up the steps with him and sat on the swing._

"_This place is magical isn't it," she said to no one in particular._

_Ambrose lowered himself down and sat on the floor next to the swing._

"_Indeed it is. So peaceful. But aren't you supposed to be showing me the palace?"_

_She looked at him like he had lost his mind, "This is part of the palace. The best part. There is space out here, air to breathe, no one trying to make you sit still while they do your hair or try to teach you about someone who has been dead for hundreds of annuals."_

_He smiled at her, "So that's why you were hiding," he said as if it was the biggest revelation of the century._

_She nodded her head with great enthusiasm. "You're very smart."_

"_So I've been told…" he mumbled to himself._

"_What did momma mean by advisor?"_

_The curiosity felt like it would kill her and he answered, "As the advisor to the Queen I have to help make decisions, give advice, ideas…but what I like most is to invent, create things that have purpose. I'm a bit scared though, I will be the youngest advisor in O.Z. history….I don't want to disappoint the Queen with her choice…"_

_DG put her hand on his shoulder and reassuringly said, "You will be the best advisor the O.Z. has ever had in its history."_

_She said it with such solidity that he felt like she must be right._

* * *

_She hadn't seen the new advisor in weeks and she was going to make sure they became friends. She also didn't want him to hide away all the time. She wanted someone else to spend time with other than just Az. She was fun sometimes but what a six annual old considered fun was no longer what Az considered fun._

_She had to ask one of the attendants where the advisor's room and lab were. They had grudgingly told her as they mumbled to themselves about having to do everything._

_She quietly walked to where they had directed her, mentally counting turns and looking for the things they said would mean she was headed in the right direction._

_It seemed to take forever before she was finally standing in front of the doors that everyone she had asked had assured her was what the doors looked like. They were huge, much bigger then they needed to be but the artist had enlarged them so the lions fighting would be easier to see from a distance._

_She walked up to the door and gently knocked on the door. She heard something move behind the door but it never opened. She knocked again, this time with a bit more force. The only thing she heard was something falling to the floor and a stifled curse. Growing impatient she banged on the door._

_The rustling ceased and she heard footsteps approach the door. They opened inward and before her stood Ambrose. He looked awful; dark circles under his eyes, his hair poking up every which way, and his clothes stained with oil and other various things that DG had no name for. He looked skinnier then she remembered him being the last time she had seen him. How long had it been since he had eaten? Or slept for that matter._

"_Princess?"_

_She pushed past him into his lab which appeared to her to be in shambles. "How many times must I tell you I do not wished to be called Princess by you?"_

"_At least one more time, as always doll."_

_He said it teasingly but DG didn't find it funny as she said, "I do not like having to repeat myself."_

_He was astounded at the authority in her voice, she was so young he had not been prepared for it, but she was royalty he reminded himself._

"_What can I do for you doll?"_

"_I came to see why you seemed to have become invisible. It was quite difficult finding this place, many of the staff still think momma is looking for an advisor. I had to explain to them who you were."_

_He shyly smiled, "Yes. Well I'm not used to this place and this room is like a sanctuary actually. No one bothers me and I can keep to myself while I work."_

"_So I've noticed," she said, "That's why I came, to see how you are and you don't look too hot. Have you looked in a mirror lately?"_

_He shrugged and looked down at himself. "Oh," he sighed, "Well I may have lost track of time…"_

"_You haven't slept in a long time and you haven't eaten either…I don't know which is worse."_

"_That would be me losing sleep. The body can go longer without food then without sleep. Sorry that was rude…"_

"_No it was actually interesting. Either way you need to keep yourself healthy or you will die before you reach twenty. That would be bad."_

_He looked at her in shock, "It would?"_

"_Yes," she said in a voice that said you should know that._

_She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the adjacent room which she was glad to see had a bed, a bed that had not been touched in who knew how long. She pulled him over to the bed and pushed him onto it._

_Her look left no room for argument and almost the instant his head hit the pillow fatigue washed over him. She saw his eyes glass over with it and shook her head. She would have to make sure he took better care of himself._

_She went over to the wardrobe and found an extra quilt and draped it over his body. She leant over him and kissed his forehead. He mumbled in his sleep as a smile played across his features._

_She crawled onto the bed with him and snuggled under the quilt that was already getting warm from his body heat. His arm automatically opened and wrapped around her and she put her head on his chest and fell asleep with him._

* * *

She convulsed in his arms and the terror showed through his eyes. She had been fine a moment ago, he had thought she had fallen asleep but now her whole body was quivering. He felt the air being charged with a familiar feeling, the feeling of magic.

He looked over to where Cain was and saw him asleep with Toto on his chest and his hat over his face. Raw was further away, turned with his back to the fire.

Glitch looked through his memories of what to do when someone had a seizure. At least that's what he thought it was. His body seemed to move without his mind's consent and he soon had his coat bunched under DG's head as he layed her out on the forest floor. He held her head between his hands and hoped she would be okay when he was suddenly in a memory that was not his but was about him and DG.


	2. The Ball

_Ambrose was getting ready for the ball that was to celebrate the Queen's birthday. He knew he had to attend as the Queen's advisor but he was not looking forward to the event on a whole. None of the ladies of the court were ever interested in him, they thought him stuck up not only because he was smart but also because he had the ear of the Queen._

_This could not have been farther from the truth. He never put on airs, he always acted as himself, never hid behind false faces and this made him vulnerable. He could not play the political games of the court and he had no desire to._

_He always stayed to himself and it was this that made people say he was stuck up, that he thought himself too good to mingle with them. Him a low born who had somehow caught the eye of the Queen and had risen over night to the most sought after position._

_As he straightened his dress jacket he heard the door open as quietly as possible and the soft click of shoes on the marble floor. He smiled to himself, she always tried to scare him since it was so easy, especially when he was caught up in his work._

_As she was about to pounce on him he turned and said boo. She was startled and felt herself lose her balance but just as quickly an arm wrapped around her and held her in place. _

"_I told you I would never let you fall," he said, the smile affecting all his face._

_She pouted at him, "Why are you always able to know when I'm coming?"_

"_I have my ways," he teased, tickling her to get rid of the scowl that distorted her features. She tried not to give in but she was very ticklish and he always took advantage of that small fact._

_She was soon laughing and gasping for breath. He stopped and she noticed that he was not in his usual dress, his coat was trimmed in cold and was the deepest midnight blue and his hair was behaving, the curls tamed into neutral waves._

"_Why are you dressed up?" she asked._

"_For your mother's birthday ball remember? It's tonight and I," he placed his hand on his chest that he puffed out and put on a posh accent, "Must attend as the Queen's advisor."_

_She laughed at his impersonation of everyone else in the court. She hated them, they never noticed her and never talked to her. Only Ambrose did, he was the only one who saw her. They would often make fun of the other courtiers and had once been caught by the Queen who had given them a stern look that had never fully reached her eyes that were filled with mirth._

"_Must you go? You know these are boring and sooo long."_

"_I'm afraid I must. I don't like it anymore than you."_

"_Will you dance with me tonight?"_

"_I wasn't aware you were joining in the festivities."_

"_I might…" she said with a mischievous look in her eye. "I like to dance with you and I want to show off what you taught me."_

_He remembered when she had asked him to teach her to dance. She had been clumsy at first, insisting it was impossible for her to dance and she had stood on his toes. He had encouraged her every step of the way, never criticizing only correcting. She had finally gotten it and was soon dancing on her own with him. She was actually very graceful and she loved dancing with him and would do so whenever she got the chance._

"_DG…you're not planning anything are you?"_

"_Noooo. Momma is making me come because she wants me to get more used to the people that will surround me for my whole life. All those boring people smiling their fake smiles at me, trying to befriend me so when I must rule I might give them a position in my court."_

_Ambrose smiled sadly at her. She was only nine annuals, too young to have to worry about such things. The only thing she should have to worry about was if she would be able to go outside tomorrow and play in the sun._

"_DG your rule is far off if it even comes at all. Az will rule before you since she is the elder. You don't have to worry about the courtiers."_

"_You're going to be late for the start of the celebration," she calmly noted._

_He looked at the clock on the wall and realized she was right._

"_I'll see you there then," he said and walked out the door._

_DG followed close behind, he would be introduced long before she was but she still went to the stairs that led down into the ballroom and sat out of the way. She heard him introduced and saw him descend the stairs slowly. Not looking at the stairs and yet he was able to descend them with out falling. She wished she had his grace but she knew she was clumsy even if he had told her she just had to find her own rhythm._

_He was now in the ballroom, she knew he would not go onto the dance floor but would find a space on the wall where there were few people. He had long ago given up asking women to dance with him, they always refused him, something she never understood._

_He was a kind person who would never hurt anyone intentionally, he was always willing to do things with her even though she knew there were things he should be doing. He was charming, handsome and she had even said as much to her mother. She often found herself fantasizing about them being together for ever and had told her mother that one day she would marry him. Her mother had smiled knowingly at her, she had not missed all the things the two did together, they were never far away from each other and they both sought each other out._

_DG heard her name being announced and rushed over to the top of the stairs to start descending them. Unlike Ambrose she had to look at where she placed her feet, she did not want to fall down the stairs. She made it to the bottom with no mishaps and started walking to where she had seen Ambrose. When she reached the spot she was sure he would be at he was nowhere to be seen. She twirled around trying to search the crowd for him but there were just so many people and she could not see more then a few people away._

_She found a chair and sat out of the way of all the adults who were surrounding her and threatening to crush her. She looked down at the floor and didn't notice that one of the many people disconnected from the throng and stopped in front of her. She could barely hear him as he said, "May I have this dance?" and he held out his hand to her._

_She smiled at him and gave him her hand. He led her onto the dance floor and they soon picked up the steps with the music. They were gliding gracefully around the dance floor and people started whispering things like, "Going after the throne," "Not happy with just advisor," "Someone should warn the Queen," "Have to put that boy in his place."_

_The two dancing ignored everything around them, it was only them and everything dropped away until all they knew was the music and each other._

_They danced with each other for the rest of the night._

_They did it for their own ends, DG because she wanted no one else to get the chance of dancing with Ambrose and Ambrose because he didn't want any of the courtiers' grubby hands touching her._

_Eventually DG's father came over to where the two were taking a break from the dance they had just finished. Ahamo whispered to Ambrose, "It's getting late…"_

_Ambrose's eyes widened and he looked at the huge clock on the wall of the ballroom, it was almost midnight. He saw out of the corner of his eye that DG was trying to hide a yawn as she beamed at him._

"_Princess," he saw her wince but the smile remained, "May I escort you to your room?"_

_She knew he did it for propriety and because her father was there before them watching the back and forth._

_She nodded her head and gave him her arm which he linked through his own._

"_Goodnight daddy."_

"_Goodnight Angel. Ambrose," he nodded his head at his wife's advisor. He was aware, just like his wife, of his daughter and Ambrose. When the time came, if it did, he would give his blessing to the couple._

"_Your Majesty," Ambrose bowed his head._

_He took DG up to her room, the two sharing the silence, the silence that was anything but awkward. _

_When they reached her room, she unlinked her arm as Ambrose closed the door. She scampered off to get into her pajamas in the huge wardrobe that held all her outfits._

_He knew he should return to the ball but this had become a ritual for the two. She would change and then he would help her get settled in bed, then he would either read or sing her to sleep._

_Tonight was no different, he had responsibilities, the most important of which was DG. She wanted a story and what she wanted he gave, he knew he spoiled her but he couldn't help it._

_He told her the story of one of her ancestors', her favorite story about her namesake._

_He told her of Dorothy's journey through the land of Oz, as it had been called back then. He told her of the friends she made along the way, the discoveries about herself she made, the triumph over the witch. How she had stayed in the land of Oz and had become the first Queen of this land, had married the scarecrow who had been turned into a human by Glinda. That the magic that had transformed him had been passed into each succeeding generation and even now ran through the veins of DG. He told her of how Dorothy made sure her female descendants were the ones to rule and they could marry who they wished as she had. How she had brought peace to Oz once again, a peace that still existed to this day._

_Ambrose looked to DG and saw she had fallen asleep, something that usually took much longer but she had been more tired than she let on. He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, rising slowly from the edge of the bed he took his leave of the sleeping girl._

* * *

They both smiled at the remembrance of that night. However, the memories were no longer just DG's, their memories were mixing. Glitch's memories of that night continued the story, showing her what had happened after he had left her room all those annuals ago.

* * *

_He was walking back to the ballroom when one of the lady courtiers approached him. She smiled seductively at him and he wondered what she wanted, the look had no affect on him other than to make him cautious._

_This was one of the many who spread rumors about him, even though he would never confront her or anyone else about it, and she was one of the many who openly refused to dance with him when he had asked._

"_Lady Brianna," he stiffly bowed, venom dripping from his voice.  
_

_If she noticed she ignored it, "I was wondering if you would take a walk with me in the garden."_

_His intuition screamed at him to decline but if he offended her it would mean hell for him and subsequently the Queen._

"_It would be my pleasure," he said, barely hiding his contempt as he offered his arm and she took it._

_They were silent as they walked out to the garden that took up most of the grounds of Finaqua. It had been almost three annuals since a small six annual old had said this was the best part of the castle._

_He always loved it out here, especially when the moon was full and lit up the flowers with an ethereal glow._

_The stars were bright and he enjoyed finding shapes and creatures in them with DG. He smiled at the thought of DG, how she had made him feel more comfortable in his new situation as the advisor. She had faith in him, the kind of faith that only children can give and believe in._

_Everything led back to DG, he did almost everything with her. He loved being friends with her, she grounded him in a world that he had never thought he would be a part of. They had taught each other and they had become the closest of friends._

_The woman on his arm tried to hide the sneer, why had they put her up to this? Surely someone else would have been willing. She wanted to dance, not be out in the cold air with a man she detested._

_She knew he was distracted with his thoughts as he always seemed to be, and they were using this fact about him to their advantage. She guided him to the maze and traversed it to the pre-arranged meeting place. They finally reached the tree in the middle of the maze that was the jewel of the garden._

_Standing by the tree were four of the lords who had had enough of this boy trying to advance himself and doing a damn good job of it while they were left to bumble in the background to no avail._

_Ambrose looked at the men's faces as the Lady Brianna dropped his arm in disgust and fled back to the party. She hoped she could get a couple more dances in. Whatever they were about to do to the advisor was none of her business and she could have cared less._

_The four lords cut off Ambrose's escape immediately and confronted him._

"_Think you're pretty big huh advisor?"_

"_Did you really think we wouldn't notice what you were trying to accomplish? I tremble at the thought of the Queen allowing something like this to continue unchecked for so long."_

"_It ends tonight advisor," a voice drawled. They were all careful to hide their faces from him and he had no idea which lords they were._

"_We're going to show you where you belong and hopefully you will stay there. Hold him."_

_Two sets of arms grabbed him before he had time to react. He tried to escape but the arms were strong and only held on more, pulling his arms behind his back painfully. One of the lords who was not holding him approached._

"_Time to put in your rightful place mutt."_

_His fist connected with Ambrose's face causing his head to whip in the opposite direction. He looked back at his attacker as he was pummeled more and more. Every time he would defiantly look at his attacker, showing his anger and hatred. This only resulted in the lord hitting harder as he tried to break that spirit. He wanted Ambrose to beg him to stop, to take the pain away, but he never muttered a sound._

_The lord, in his anger, punched Ambrose in the gut and was satisfied to hear the air rush out of his lungs and a resounding crack. He slumped in the arms of the lords holding him, tears of pain began running down his face, mixing with the blood from various cuts on his face. The salt in his tears stung the wounds and he hissed from the pain but otherwise he let no other noise pass through his lips. He would not give them the satisfaction._

_The lords soon tired of beating him with no affect and the lead lord who had not gotten his hands dirty thus far nodded his head to the others. They let Ambrose go and he fell to the ground on all fours, trying to catch his breath from the last assault._

_The lord who had watched from afar with an evil glee in his eyes stepped forward to the bloodied advisor and leaned down._

"_Maybe next time you try to attain the Princess as your own, you will remember our time together."_

_Ambrose said nothing, just closed his eyes in pain and thinking only that he would never allow these men near the princess, his princess, his best friend._

"_You…will…never…touch her," he gasped._

_The lord was infuriated that Ambrose still had the audacity to challenge him. He stood up and kicked Ambrose in the gut with all his might. Ambrose finally let out a cry of pain as he collapsed. The lord smirked in pleasure and once again leaned down._

"_Don't ever tell me what to do advisor. You have no sway over me and if I have anything to do with it soon the Queen won't listen to you either."_

_Ambrose could feel the darkness closing in on him, he fought against it with all the strength he had left. Everything hurt, even breathing hurt._

_He could not say anything even though he wanted to. The lord took his silence as a victory and looked to the others as he stood._

"_Come. We will be missed soon and we mustn't have that."_

_To Ambrose he gave a mock salute and left him where he lay._

_He tried to get up but even the slightest movement sent white-hot bolts of pain shooting through his whole body._

_He finally gave in to the dark._

* * *

DG shook with anger at the shared memory. How could anyone have done that to him? He had never tried to steal power from anyone. He had just wanted a friend in the sea of hating faces that was the court. Through the shared link she sent him her love and sympathy. The next memory was DG's and it washed over them both.

* * *

_DG stood before her mother, the look on her face was one she had never seen there before. It was a mixture of sorrow, worry, anger, and hate. DG never knew one could feel so many things at once._

_Her mother looked at her. How was she going to tell her without causing her distress? Everything she was about to tell her daughter would distress her, there was no easy way to say this._

"_DG…" she slowly began, "I have something I must tell you and you must remain calm for me…"_

_DG knew something was wrong, awfully wrong and she was getting worried._

"_Last night…something happened…to Ambrose," something in DG dropped. Her mother continued, "We found him unconscious in the maze, badly hurt…barely breathing…very cold…"_

_The more her mother talked the colder DG became as the sinking sensation worsened, she was filled with worry, could only stand and stare with her mouth open. Ambrose? Hurt? Barely breathing? Cold? Her Ambrose? Who was always warm? Her mother had to be mistaken._

"_Where is he?" DG couldn't hide the agitation at this news, she was trying not to cry in front of her mother, to be strong._

"_He is in the medical wing…" before she could finish DG had started running in the direction of the medical wing. She distantly heard her mother yelling, "DG wait!"_

_She ignored it and kept running toward Ambrose. She let the tears come, the breeze from her running quickly drying them away._

_Who would do such a thing to my sweet Ambrose?_

_If she ever found out she would kill them herself._

_She reached the medical wing, out of breath, and crashed through the doors. The staff had been warned she might come and they were ready. They stopped her from running through the whole wing and calmed her down as much as they could._

_They wanted to wait for her mother to come but she demanded she see Ambrose and they could not refuse._

_They led her into the wing of the hospital reserved for patients who needed to be watched carefully. She barely recognized her friend lying on the bed. He was the wrong color, he was too puffy, he had something in his mouth, there was a terrible machine making a rasping breathing noise, there were bandages wrapped around his abdomen that was also the wrong color. Everything was wrong._

_She walked over to the side of the bed and gently brushed a stray curl away from his face. He twitched but did not wake._

"_Ambrose? It's me…please wake up."_

_There was no response from him as his eyes remained closed to her._

_She looked to the nurse confused, she sighed and answered the un-spoken question, "We have to keep him asleep or the pain would be too much. The brain can only handle so much pain. It's better for him this way."_

_Tears prickled her eyes and she sat in the chair that was by the bed. The nurse bowed her head and left the two alone. DG put her hand on Ambrose's and willed him to get better soon._

_She didn't notice the light that emanated from their hands as she leaned her head on his arm and cried herself to sleep._

_***_

_It took weeks for his body to heal and DG was always there. They tried to pry her away from his side but she refused. She took her meals in the medical wing, she slept there and even refused to leave for lessons or to play outside. Where was the fun in playing outside without Ambrose?_

_When he finally opened his eyes she was the first thing he saw. He couldn't speak though because the breathing tube was still breathing for him but he was able to squeeze her hand. She smiled at him as she realized he was awake._

"_NURSE!!"_

_The nurse came running and when she saw that Ambrose was awake she gently moved DG out of the way._

"_Ambrose, I'm Nurse Hadra. I'm going to take the tube out now but I need you to breath out while I do. You may want to gag but try not to, just keep breathing out."_

_He nodded and DG could not see what she did exactly but she could hear Ambrose breath out and splutter as the tube was removed. He coughed and the nurse gave a satisfied nod of her head._

_She turned to DG and said, "Don't strain him. He still needs his rest. Oh and don't make him talk too much."_

_She nodded and went back to sit by Ambrose. She started crying and Ambrose brushed away the tears and gave her a questioning look._

"_I thought you were going to leave me," she cried, "I was so scared. You were so still and wouldn't wake up."_

_He frowned at her and rasped, "I remember making a promise that I would always be there for you."_

_She smiled and layed her head on his chest gently. He winced but DG didn't notice and he was glad she hadn't as he began stroking her beautiful hair._


	3. Learning to Ride

A twig broke off in the distance and Cain was instantaneously awake, an attribute he was very proud of. He whipped his hat off his face and scanned the area around the fire that still glowed dimly.

He heard rustling from the last place DG and Glitch had been. He hoped the two had figured it out and actually come clean with one another.

He had seen the looks that passed between them on almost a daily basis. He knew about it first hand, had shared that look with Adora. He pushed down the memory as he knocked the now awake Toto off his chest. The dog scrambled to get out of the way as Cain rose.

He walked closer to the ruffling noise and saw DG layed out on Glitch's coat. Her eyes were closed but he could see them roaming around under her delicate eyelids. What worried him was her whole body convulsing.

Glitch was kneeling by her head, holding it in place. His eyes were closed too, his eyes dancing behind pale eyelids. He looked like he was in pain, the same look he had on his face when Raw had searched his memories was plastered there once more.

Cain realized they were somehow reliving memories and his next thought was _magic._ It was the only way they could be doing what they were right now.

Even though he knew what it was, he knew no more than that and it made him feel useless, a feeling he did not like. He had no idea what he could do, if there was even anything he could do. He knew this was personal but he had no way of knowing if this was hurting them and if it was there was not much he could do to help them.

* * *

_It was finally a sunny day, after two days of rain DG could finally go outside. She bounded around the palace with the energy that had been pent up and had come out at all the wrong moments. Many of the palace staff were relieved that the young princess would finally be able to go outside and tire herself out._

_DG ran to the lab where she knew she would find Ambrose. He was deep in thought as he hunched over his desk, the pen in his hand furiously moving as he drew designs for this or that. He was currently working on some machine that was supposedly going to help lengthen the growing season. DG didn't fully understand it but she knew it was boring all the same._

_She didn't want to startle him right now, she had before when he had been writing and he had jumped and caused the pen to make an ugly line across the neat handwriting. That was the only time she had seen him angry in any way._

_When she reached his side she prayed he would not spaz like that other time and she gently put her hand on his arm. He startled only slightly this time, quite used to her breaking his concentration at the wrong time._

_He looked up at her with weary eyes and said, "Hey doll."_

_She'd never tell anyone but she absolutely loved it when he called her doll. It was his special nickname for her just as her parents called her angel._

"_Ambrose," she whined, "It's a beautiful day. The rain finally stopped and you promised me when it did that you would teach me to ride."_

_He remembered his promise to her as he had come home three days ago now from Central City on business for the Queen. She had awaited his arrival and as he had ridden up on his black stallion with such grace, her heart had almost stopped beating. He looked so at ease in the saddle, she could see the joy it brought him. She had immediately wanted to learn how to ride so she could do it with him._

_The first thing out of her mouth had been, "Can you teach me to ride like that?"_

_He smiled at her, "Don't I get a hug first?" he said with a wounded air._

_She had run to him then and threw her arms around him._

"_I will teach you to ride tomorrow after lunch. I have some work I need to get done today."_

_She had nodded in understanding and looked pleased and excited at the prospect to learn something new from Ambrose. The next day it had rained from morning to night and the next day was the same. The suns had finally broken through the clouds and chased the rain away. And DG wanted to learn to ride._

"_All right doll but I think you might want to put on some other clothes. I don't know how to ride side saddle so I will have to teach you how to ride astride which means you'll have to put pants on."_

_She nodded her head with great enthusiasm and shot out the door to go put on a pair of pants she had and would sometimes wear when she went outside to play._

_She changed faster then she ever had before and was soon running through the palace again and skidded to a stop in Ambrose's lab. He smiled at her and took her hand in his._

_They went down to the stables which was a massive complex of stalls and grain rooms. The stable boy met them at the door to the main barn and Ambrose said, "I will require my horse and one for the Princess."_

_The boy nodded and rushed into the bowels of the barn to do as he was told. DG and Ambrose sat on a bale of hay that was near one of the stalls. She loved the smell of this place, it smelled like horse, oats, straw, leather but it was such a pleasant smell. She realized it was the smell that was part of Ambrose. _He must spend a lot of time here if he had taken on the smell_, she thought to herself._

_The boy came over leading a horse and a pony. The horse was the one she had seen Ambrose ride up on, he was the darkest shade of black she had ever seen and yet he had white on his hind leg above the hoof and a bright white diamond on his forehead. The pony was stark white and had a pink muzzle and he squinted his eyes as of it was too bright._

_She pulled on Ambrose's arm in pure excitement and it was contagious as he began to feel it too._

_Ambrose took the reins of his horse and showed DG how to do the same with the pony. She had no fear in her eyes and quickly imitated Ambrose and lead the pony out of the barn on her own with Ambrose close by in case anything went wrong._

_He led them over to the nearest ring and tied his own horse on the hitching post and walked into the ring followed closely by DG with her pony._

_He stopped in the middle of the ring as did DG. _

"_All right, I want you to put the reins over his head and make sure they aren't twisted."_

_She did as he instructed. He gave her a smile that told her she had done it right._

"_Now, even though he may look small he is more powerful than you by far. If you need to walk around him for any reason you have to tell him where you are by running your hand on his skin. Like this."_

_He put his hand on the pony and walked around him, never breaking contact._

"_Do you see his ears? How they are back listening to the sound of my voice and movements. He is being attentive which is what we want. Now you try."_

_DG mimicked Ambrose's movements around the pony with no mishap. He was proud of her, she had no fear in her eyes which would work in her favor._

"_Now I think you are ready to get up on his back. You have to make sure that you remain calm no matter what happens. Horses and ponies are very receptive to our feelings and they will make what we feel what they feel."_

_She nodded getting bored, she just wanted to ride._

_He came up behind her and picked her up._

"_Put your right leg over…there you go…put your foot in the stirrup like so…how do they feel? This needs to come down…"_

_She started tuning him out as he fussed and fiddled with every little piece of leather._

"_Now give a gentle squeeze…no don't kick, squeeze. He will feel it. There you go."_

_The pony started to move and at first DG's legs clenched in fear of falling but Ambrose's reassuring voice said, "Don't squeeze like that or he will think you want him to go faster. Relax into his motion, move with him, feel him walking."_

_She soon moved with the motion of the pony and it felt so natural to do so, like she had done it for years._

"_Now give a little squeeze and loosen the reins slightly…we want him to trot…."_

_As he said it the pony became bouncy all of a sudden and she felt her butt leave the saddle with each stride._

"_Sit back…deepen your seat…yes like that…"_

_She was able to control her movements in time with the pony and the uncomfortable stride became smooth._

"_All right now pull back gently on the reins and make him walk…good. Let's go for a walk on the trail," he said as he walked over to his horse and mounted up._

_She brought the pony over to where Ambrose waited for her and they headed out to one of the many trails that Finaqua had. They only walked and conversed about inconsequential things as friends are liable to do._

_Then DG asked, "Ambrose are you married like momma and daddy?"_

_Ambrose was taken aback at the question, had not expected it in the least. "No I'm not doll if I was I would have invited you to the wedding…why do you ask?"_

"_Just curious I guess," but secretly she was relieved that he wasn't. She had been afraid he would be and then all her fantasies would mean nothing._

_Ambrose still looked at her, trying to figure out where that had come from. Why was she thinking about marriage? And why would she be curious about him getting married? He had no plans on getting married to anyone anytime soon but if the Queen asked him to marry someone in order to make an alliance or for any other political reason he would. _

_They continued their ride in relative silence, DG still prattled on about this and that and Ambrose smiled with amusement hoping this would be the first of many rides with each other._

* * *

Raw's dreams were not dreams, they were more feelings that he was picking up and then worked themselves into dreams.

His eyes flew open at all the conflicting emotions running in his mind's eye. The emotions did not dissipate with wakefulness, if anything they increased. They hung heavily in the air. There was fear, happiness, love, anger, loneliness; all assaulting him.

He wanted to run from the feelings, they were so strong but he would not abandon his friends as he had his kind.

The feelings he was picking up, they seemed so familiar.

He looked over to Cain who was awake and looking at something obscured from his view by the trees.

He slowly walked over to stand by Cain and touched him. He was assaulted with his feelings of worry at what lay in front of him.

Raw dropped his hand and looked at what Cain was. He sucked in air through bared teeth. All the feelings were coming from Glitch and DG who were sharing memories somehow. He knew magic was involved, could feel it crackling through the air. Distantly he felt the worry from Cain dwindle as he realized that the psychic would know what to do.

The only thing was, Raw had no idea what to do. This was beyond him, but if he was needed he would do what he could.


	4. Life Destroyed

_Tears ran down her face as she tore through the palace to Ambrose's lab that was all the way on the other side of the castle. Why did he have to be so far away?_

_She finally reached his lab and burst through the doors, startling him and causing papers to scatter all over the room._

_He turned around to confront whoever it was and was confronted with the little princess sobbing from lack of breath and trying not to cry._

_His anger melted off of him as he knelt down and pulled her to him. "What happened?" he asked with concern._

_Between sobs she said, "I was playing…with Az…we went into the woods…there was a cave…and a scary woman was there…we held hands…I let go…she got Az…she got Az!"_

_Ambrose was confused but before he could ask he heard footsteps approach slowly. They reached his lab and the door slowly opened. Before him stood Azkadellia, but he had never seen such hatred or anger in her eyes before. She smirked at him and looked at DG with her burning look. Ambrose brought DG closer to him to protect her from that look, the look that said Azkadellia wanted to kill her sister._

_Azkadellia now looked at Ambrose as she said in a bittersweet voice, "Is the little princess okay? I was so worried when I couldn't find her."_

_Ambrose hesitantly said, "Yes…she's fine…just startled…"_

"_I have no idea why she would be startled. I'll take her, you must be so busy what with your new invention and having to help my _mother_," she spat the last word as if it was poison._

"_It's no problem. She can stay as long as she wants. I'll take care of her for now…"_

_Azkadellia scowled at him and quickly turned on her heel to leave and as she exited she said, "You won't always be there for her…"_

_Ambrose had never been more scared in his life for DG. He never even thought what this new Azkadellia would do to him, he only worried about the girl in his arms. His only friend in a world that he was in but not a part of. He would always be there for her no matter what. He would never let any harm befall her._

_He picked her up and brought her to the bed he rarely used. He was able to pull back the blankets with the arm he had freed by holding her with the other. He gently layed her on the bed and pulled the blankets around her form._

_She looked up at him with tear filled eyes, the terror emanating from her and effecting him too. He put a smile on his face that didn't reach his brown eyes, DG saw it._

"_It will be okay princess…"_

"_What did I tell you about calling me that?" she cut in._

_She hated it when he called her princess like everyone else, it was too formal and she was constantly reminding him not to call her that. Only in public when it was absolutely necessary, even then she still cringed inwardly at the word when it passed his lips._

"_I know doll, I always seem to forget…you just try to get some rest. I'll make sure nothing ever bad happens to you. I swear it."_

_He got up to leave but the hand pulling on his coat sleeve made him stop. He looked at the small child in his huge bed, a bed he had always thought too big even for him. Her eyes were pleading with him and she desperately said, "Stay. Please. I don't want to be alone…"  
_

_He nodded and came back to the side of the bed with every intention to sit in the chair beside it but he heard her rustling and moving over. He gently slid in the bed beside her and she snuggled up against him. He was so warm and his presence made her less afraid. He held her to him and rested his head on hers, gently rocking back and forth. Her breathing soon became rhythmic and he joined her in sleep._

* * *

_He had never liked leaving her when he had to go to various places in the kingdom for the Queen. She would always look at him with her blue eyes, sparkling with unshed tears. _

_It was the same every time. He would draw her to him and whisper reassuringly, "I will be back doll. I'm not leaving forever."_

_But things were different now. Azkadellia had been taken over by something evil, something ancient. DG only knew that something was wrong, she didn't know what exactly it was and her mother, father and Ambrose had agreed it was best not to tell her all the details._

_He had barely left her side after the day she had run to him to tell him of the cave. He would not let her go near her sister because he was afraid she would act on the desire he had seen in her eyes. She wanted to kill DG, of this he was sure. He could not forget that look as she walked away and spat at him, "You won't always be there for her…"_

_Whenever they did pass Azkadellia in the hallways she would hiss at the two as they held hands, only the witch in Azkadellia seeing the light that passed between the two. As long as they were together she could not touch either one. _

_Ambrose had always spent time with DG but now he spent every waking moment with her as her parents desperately tried to expel the witch in Azkadellia. She would always be in his lab or his room. She had abandoned her own room in order to feel safe with him._

_He only worked on his inventions and the letters that had to be sent out and other various matters of state when DG was tucked away safe in his room for the night. He would work until all hours of the night trying to help in any way he could with Azkadellia._

_The Queen saw the toll it was taking on Ambrose and she took him aside one day as Ahamo kept a close watch on DG._

"_Ambrose I know you want to help…"_

"_I know there is something I can do for the Princess…"_

"_Ambrose!" He stood silent as she continued, "You have been helping the Princess," she nodded her head in the direction of DG. "She is the one who needs you right now. Ahamo and I will worry about Azkadellia. I need you to keep DG safe."_

_He nodded his understanding. DG had seen the stress in everyone's faces but when she saw it on Ambrose's and how it drained him, she felt something deep down that had no name. Ambrose was protecting her and he was ignoring his own needs and she had sworn she wouldn't let him kill himself._

_She made him sleep when she did, eat when she did; the two kept each other alive and happy during the dark time. Eventually the stress of the outside world began to recede as they made their own world in the confines of Ambrose's sanctuary, a sanctuary that now belonged to both of them._

_There sanctuary was broken though when the Queen finally needed Ambrose's help with Azkadellia. She needed him to go the west and make a peace treaty with the tribes who_

_mainly kept to themselves. They had something she needed to try their last attempt at freeing her daughter._

_Ambrose could not refuse even though he had wanted to when the request had passed the Queen's lips. He had left the Queen's presence as soon as etiquette allowed and felt hollow at the thought of leaving DG alone, he felt like something was going to happen the moment he left her, something horrible that would destroy them both._

_He went back to his rooms to tell DG that he would have to leave. When he walked through the door he saw her asleep in his bed, her father watching over her. Ahamo got up and left the two alone, he knew this would hurt his daughter deeply especially after all the time they spent together._

_Ambrose smiled weakly at Ahamo as he left the room. He knew DG would sleep until he woke her but there was something he had to do first. He went into his lab and picked up the contraption he had been working on in his spare time and when DG was not looking. He had meant it as a birthday gift for her but he was going to finish it for her and give it to her before he left._

_***_

_DG slowly woke up as the light from the window inched its way up her face. She tried to ignore it and keep sleeping but it wouldn't leave her alone. Exasperated she opened her eyes and instead of being met with Ambrose as she had become accustomed to she was alone in the big room._

_The panic started rising in her, threatening to choke her._

_She cried out, "AMBROSE?!"_

_He was by her side in a moment, coming in from the other room as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes._

"_What's wrong?"_

_The relief was evident in her face and voice, "I thought I was alone…that something might have happened to you…"_

_This was going to be harder then he thought. How was he going to tell her? _

"_Doll…there's something I have to tell you…I have to leave for the west today…to get something to help your sister…"_

_Her face became fearful. "Who will keep me safe?" she was on the verge of crying, he could tell._

"_Your parents have arranged everything…they assured me you will be watched as closely as possible…"_

_DG threw herself at him, almost knocking him off the bed. He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly as she began to cry, harder then she ever had before. Her tears began to soak through his clothes and he could have cared less._

"_Shhh….it will be all right," he said reassuring both her and himself as he rocked her back and forth. She clung to him as one does a life raft, she felt her life spinning out of her control and she did not like the feeling of being tossed about._

"_DG I have something for you…I know how hard it is for you to fall asleep…" he said it as he reached into his pocket, she leaned back in his arm and looked curiously to where his hand had disappeared._

"_Close your eyes," she did as he said. "Open."_

_When she opened her eyes she was confronted with the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her short life. It was cylindrical in shape; colored with gold, the color of the yellow brick road she realized. It had been decorated with her favorite scenes from Dorothy's adventure. There was the scarecrow using the brain he said he did not have to get the trees to throw apples at them, there was the field of poppies, the wizard's head, the emerald city. Three winged monkeys made up the base, holding up the ball on top. Ambrose slowly opened the lid that had the figure of Dorothy on it with her red shoes._

_When it was fully opened a beautiful melody began to play and to her great delight she heard Ambrose's voice fill the room as he recounted the story. He flipped an almost invisible switch and now he was no longer talking but singing one of their songs._

_She looked up at him in wonder and once again wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you," she breathed, "It's beautiful."_

"_I'm glad you like it…" he hugged her close to him and then let go as he said, "I must go DG…I promise I will be back soon…Please don't cry doll…"_

_She nodded her head bravely as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. He placed the music box on his night table and got up and left the room. He couldn't bring himself to look behind him at the small figure in the bed that was just too big._

***

_He had barely begun negotiations with the western tribes when a messenger had come galloping up on a horse foaming at the mouth. He had ridden hard to get there and Ambrose felt fear wash over him as the man came running up with a message that bore the Queen's seal._

_He felt his heart beat begin to quicken as he slowly broke the seal and unfolded the letter. For a moment he couldn't think straight enough to read it. He took in a breath and once again tried to read the letter this time with better success._

_**My Dear Ambrose,**_

_** You must come home right away. Do not bother with the item you are currently trying to obtain. It will no longer help. Something terrible has happened and I do not wish to write all the details here as it may end up in the wrong hands.**_

_** Come home as quickly as you can. I will explain all on your arrival.**_

_** Humbly yours,**_

_** Queen Lavender Eyes**_

_Ambrose thought the worst as he called out to any one who would listen for his horse. He mounted up and before he was settled had spurred the stallion into an all out gallop._

_He pushed on for a full day and made it back to Finaqua in half the time it should have taken. Before the horse had completely stopped he had dismounted almost tripping over his feet as he ran up the steps and burst through the doors._

_He was met with startled faces as he grabbed a hold off the nearest attendant and asked, "Queen?"_

_The attendant squeaked out, "Your rooms…"_

_He was off before the attendant could say anymore. He tripped up the stairs and when he came to his rooms he opened the doors with a resounding boom as they swung wide and hit the wall._

_He ran to his bedroom and was met with his worst nightmare incarnate. DG lie on the bed as if she was sleeping but he knew she was not sleeping, if she had been she would have been breathing. He rushed over to where the Queen hovered over the dead body of her youngest daughter. She looked into Ambrose's wild and horror stricken eyes._

_He did not see the look of pain that flitted across her face at having to deceive him in such a way but it had to be done if her plan was to work._

_All Ambrose could say was, "How?"_

_The Queen turned sorrowful and angry eyes at him, "Azkadellia found her alone for a split second and made her move. She has since fled the palace. We have no idea where she is."_

_Ambrose only registered that Azkadellia was to blame for this and he berated himself for leaving even though the Queen herself had asked it of him. _She must feel terrible for asking_, Ambrose thought._

_He finally looked at the Queen, saw that she looked like she had aged twenty years in the two days he had been gone. Her eyes were not as brilliant and her dark hair was now almost silver. What had happened to change her features so much?_

_She saw his look of confusion at her appearance and said quietly, "There are some things I can not explain to you or you might get hurt."_

_He nodded dumbly at her as he sat by DG's cold body. He could feel the tears starting but he would not let them come. This small girl, the only one he called friend in this cruel world was gone and he could have prevented it. He could feel his heart hardening, he would never let anyone so close again as he had let this small child. He would love no other as he had this small child, never, it wasn't worth the pain when something happened to them._

_He closed his eyes and breathed all the emotions back._

"_What now your Majesty?"_

_She was surprised at how harsh his voice had become. "The arrangements have all been made. We wanted to wait for you though."_

_He nodded his head._

***

_The next few days were a blur as the palace and the O.Z. began to mourn the loss of their youngest princess. They had no idea of what had befallen Azkadellia, they would soon enough._

_For now the Queen and the consort worried about burying their youngest child, making sure the whole realm knew about it._

_Ambrose had withdrawn into himself fully and the Queen didn't know how to help her young advisor which made her cringe at the irony. All the times he had helped her and she couldn't even return the favor by lessening the pain she had helped inflict._

_Ambrose stood in the graveyard as DG's memorial began. Soon after the priestess had started it had begun to rain and finally Ambrose let the tears come. The rain hid them from those surrounding him._

_It was all too fast; the priestess seemed to talk too fast, they seemed to put flowers on her marble grave too fast, to put her in the ground too fast, to leave the graveyard too fast as if death was contagious._

_Only Ambrose remained, staring at the cold marble head stone that declared a little girl was buried here. A girl that was anything but cold and flat like that stone or the stone she was now encased in forever._

_The rain numbed him, with the numbness he could no longer feel his body or the pain of thinking that she was dead below his feet. He felt nothing._

_He didn't even feel the hand on his shoulder as the voice that accompanied it said, "All is not as it seems."_

* * *

_Annuals passed. In that time Azkadellia had surrounded herself with followers, those who had no homes and those who just wanted to watch the world burn._

_Many of the Queen's most loyal subjects had deserted her for the relative safety of following Azkadellia. At least they would not be hunted down like those who were starting to resist._

_Ambrose stood in his room, staring out the window at the land that used to be so beautiful. It no longer seemed to glow in the same way, not since she had died._

_He was interrupted in his thoughts as a crash came from the lab. He walked into the lab to see the doors were being broken down. He knew this day would come and had been prepared for it._

_He had remembered all those annuals back that Azkadellia had seemed too interested in what he had been working on. He had made sure that all the plans were easily accessible in one place so if he had to he could destroy them at a moments notice._

_Another crash as wood splinters flew everywhere. They were almost through the door. He grabbed up the designs and took the candle he had forgotten to blow out and pushed it into the paper. He was met with a gratifying crackle as the papers lit. Within moments the flame had consumed them._

_He rushed out of his lab as the door finally gave way to the barrage of long coats. He fled to the door that he knew hid a secret passage to the garden, DG had showed it to him the first day she had given him the grand tour. _

_He was able to hide its existence again as long coats filed into the room, making room for Azkadellia to enter. She saw the fire on the desk of the inventor and anger welled inside of her. No matter, there was always another way._

_Ambrose ran through the passage, every second waiting to hear the long coats find the passage and hunt him down. No such noise ever came. He didn't slow though until he reached the end of the passage and the door that led to the garden._

_He collected himself as he walked over to the form of the Queen sitting on the bench looking off into the distance._

_He kneeled by her side, the worry evident in his voice as he told about more men defecting and Central City falling._

_With a small smile on his face he told her, "She tried to steal the plans for the sun-seeder but I was able to destroy the blueprints."_

_The Queen put a hand on his arm and sadly said, "She will come after you, Ambrose."_

_He nodded his head sadly as he asked, "Is there nothing you can do Majesty?"_

"_Too late. The darkness is too deeply rooted in her."_

"_But your light. You are the most powerful being in all of the O.Z."_

"_Was old friend. I gave my power, my light to save someone very special," she sadly revealed, "My angel…"_

_Ambrose had barely heard her whisper those two words but his head snapped up at the implication._

"_DG? She's alive? But how? I saw her body? Saw her buried?"_

_The Queen looked at him and smiled with great sorrow, "I'm sorry Ambrose…you saw what I wanted you and everyone else to see. Azkadellia could not know she lives. She must not find out now either."_

_The coldness that had surrounded his heart was now gone. DG lived and that was all that mattered. He didn't care what Azkadellia did to him as long as she never touched DG again._

_He saw the long coats, led by Azkadellia approach. He got up to shield the Queen and said, "Show some respect…"_

_Azkadellia cut him off, "The Queen's reign ends today."_

_The Queen rose and gently pushed Ambrose aside, "Do you have any idea what you are doing?" she asked Azkadellia with barely disguised anger._

"_I do," Azkadellia said sweetly, "You need a long rest mother. Take her away. And take him to the alchemist," she said nodding her head toward Ambrose. "If you won't tell me what you know," she continued, "I guess I'll just have to reach in and take it myself."_

_Ambrose looked at her hollowly, still reeling from the fact that DG was alive. He was fearful about what would happen to him only because he once again would not be able to protect DG. No! I will find her and make sure I protect her, even if I have to give my life to do it. No matter where she is I will find her and protect her from the clutches of the witch._

* * *

DG's eyes flew open at the memory that she had seen in the cottage a day ago, Raw had not shown them all of the memory, maybe Glitch had been able to keep it from him. He had been overly anxious about Raw "diving" into his memories.

When DG's eyes had flown open the link between them had broken and Glitch had been flung back. He lay still, breathing heavily, the memories he had just witnessed explained so much. No wonder he had felt such a strong connection with her the moment he had seen her being shoved in the same cage with him. How he had known her name even though she had never introduced herself.

And above all he knew why she made him feel whole. She was a part of him, had always been a part of him, a crucial part.

He realized that nothing would ever keep them apart now. They were too closely linked and DG knew it too in that moment. Knew why she loved to be near him, could never really function right without him close by. She would make sure they never lost each other again.


End file.
